So I have just been told that I am teaching a new high school class for ourrecidivist algebra students. The goal of the course is to push them throughthe IA regents on January 20, 2014, and then give them some nebulous amountof geometry preparation for the second half of the year, with the idea thatit will enable these weaker students* to go into a regular one yeargeometry class (the only kind we offer) next year with a greater hope ofsuccess.

It's a bit of a departure for us as a school, because we function on anannualized calendar - no three semester courses here. This is a way ofgetting around that without having to put students in a full one yearremedial algebra class.

Well, there are good and bad points about any choice we could make for thispopulation, but ultimately that choice has been made and now I am going todo my best for them, although I would have wished for more time to prepare.

I am predominantly a geometry teacher, with some other electives. I'vetaught IA once, and then Math A before that. I'll be looking at jmap andold regents, of course, and going through the Prentice Hall Algebra I textbook. But what I would like to ask of the more experienced algebra teacherson this list is the following question:

If you had to teach this one semester class, what are the top choices fortopics you would cover? Remember, there is a good chance that there willnot be time to cover even half the normal curriculum with this group. Sowhere would you concentrate your attention?

Thank you for any help you can give me as I gear up to help these kids.

* some are weaker for cognitive reasons, some for work habit reasons, somefor attendance reasons - it's quite a stew.